Skyfall - Old dog. New Tricks.

I had heard a lot from friends and family about their impressions of Skyfall. Some with film backgrounds, some without, but I can honestly say their was a severe divide between everyone about this film. Some absolutely hated it whilst others thought it was the best Bond film yet. Needless to say, I went into that cinema with mixed emotions.

Thankfully, these soon dissipated after an enthralling action sequence which started off the film in good strides. Motorcycles being thrown at cameras and riding across rooftops; Bond and his assailant committing an epic train fight stunt; and a thrilling cliff hanger right before the opening titles, all told the audience the old Bond was back with some new tricks. The impressive detail to cinematography, set design, and editing were absolute standouts amongst all the production values for Skyfall and the heads of these departments should be extremely proud. Continuity and makeup were lacking precision in some scenes but that's forgivable in light of the film's scope and vision. Speaking of, Sam Mendes' exceptional directing skills shone throughout this film, with his intentions clearly sustained for the film's entirety. Acting gongs must be given out to Javier Bardem for his spine-chilling portrayal of Tiago Rodriguez, a name I won't be forgetting in a while, and Daniel Craig of course, for managing to show us Bond's various weaknesses in the short time he was given, amongst all the bravado we know him for.

Finally, and possibly the most impressive element of the whole film, was its introduction of "the new era", a term constantly referred to throughout the film. The point was well-made by the production team that the Bond we all know and love is no more. A world of guns, grenades and Bond girls is no match for the new wave of "cyber crime" we are experiencing each day. As the "new" Q comments "I can do more damage on my laptop, sitting in my pajamas, before my first cup of Earl Grey than you can do a year in the field." Bond-lovers who expect the crew behind this legendary story to maintain the "old ways" are told repeatedly throughout Skyfall they are foolish for expecting such a thing when the world is constantly changing and its up to Bond and Mi6 to keep up the best way they can.

 Skyfall is for me, everything I love in a Bond film. Action scenes were a step above the precedent; new characters provided a refreshing change to an old narrative; and the focus and care taken by the production crew in all their capacities is inspirational. Its films like these that makes me want to work in the film industry. Well done 007.

TANGO UNDERPANTS

For all interested, Tango Underpants is a short film I'm currently working on in Perth, WA that has just achieved a sensational crowdfunding result, raising over $25,000 in under 24 hours.

The film stars Emma Booth who plays Carolyn, a down on her luck lady of intrigue who travels to Buenos Aires after a messy break-up from her douche-bag boyfriend. There she discovers the wonderful land of the Tango but before she can participate in its magic, she must first learn how to rekindle her mojo and in order to do, must find the perfect underpants.

Tango Underpants is still looking for amazing supporters to assist in this film's production. If you are interested in contributing, head to their Pozible page now.
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT NOW!!!

Everyone's Talking About...Redfern Now

Ever since I heard that this show was in development, I have been dying to see it. Finally, someone got around to producing an Australian TV show featuring real Australians in the form of Redfern, Sydney's indigenous community. This show is not your typical in-your-face exposé on indigenous life but rather an intellectual look at the modern day lives of this individual group. 

Redfern Now is a 6-part series produced for the ABC by Blackfella Films that tells the stories of six inner-city households in one street. In each episode, one seemingly insignificant event will completely change the course of the main characters' daily journeys. Family dramas, relationship problems, money troubles and everyday societal issues are just a few of the plot-lines explored in this series. Working closely with Jimmy McGovern (Story Producer), the producers of RN have created a series that closely follows the successful formula of the show which catapulted McGovern's career, The Street.

The thing that worked so well for me with Redfern Now was its impecable production values. Location, production design, editing, sound design and filming style are just a few elements that caught my eye and held it throughout the duration of the first episode. As a rule, I am instantly turned off my any television show or feature film that has a disregard for fine form. Redfern Now does not belong in this category. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the sheer amount of work that has gone into making this show look so damn good is a lot better than most of the drivel existing on mainstream Australian television right now (Yes, Channel 7. I am looking at you and Winners and Losers)

Many critics today will be launching into how much of a revolution Redfern Now is for the indigenous film and television community. This is a load of wirrilkaru crap. The reality is, indigenous production houses such as Blackfella Films have made some of Australia's best movies of late. In fact, our most successful home exports, particularly in the festival circuits, have come from indigenous producers. Samson and Delilah, Ten Canoes, The Sapphires, and Ivan Sen's Toomelah which was a big hit at the Sydney Film Festival last year. At the end of the day, this is a TV series to educate, inform, entertain and abolish the divide between what is "Australian" and what is "Indigenous." For me, as long as its all good TV, I don't care what you call it. 

Redfern Now screens Thursday on ABC1 at 8:30pm. 

Looper

WARNING: SPOILER ALERT

In the same way hundreds of critics applauded Hitchcock for Psycho, Scorsese for Good Guys, and Tarantino for Pulp Fiction, this movie is just one of those amazing films that needs to be written about.

Looper tells a twisted tale of time travel, assassinations and violent ends for violent beings but most of all, explores the bigger picture of how we as humans battle ourselves each day to determine what is right for the future. Starring Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Emily Blunt (who can not be said to be a "star" of the movie as such considering she doesn't rock up until halfway through), the film tackles many complicated themes with an equally complicated plot, the two points I will be focusing on for this analysis. There are so many amazing qualities of this movie that can be discussed - from its mise-en-scene; to its cliche-free script; to the beautiful cinematography achieved by Steve Yedlin - Looper has it all. But for me, it really was the way it dealt with some rather far-fetched themes with a plot that physically had me on the end of my seat in the last half hour that I find most fascinating.

The film's thematic development at first centres around the stories initial prognosis - "loopers" are hired as assassins in the year 2044 to kill criminal associates sent back in time from the year 2074. As a consequence of this however, loopers are warned that one day their loops will be closed meaning they will be awarded a large some of money to live out the last 30 years of their life until 2074 where they are sent back to themselves to be killed. Don't worry: it gets more complicated that that. Gordon-Levitt's character is your typical assassin cum vagabond - sly, cold, and selfish - he has no interest in the world around him or the people in it, established in the first scene where he trades his best friend's life in order to remain in possession of his wealth - first theme: money over life. This isn't dealt with in the same way other sci-fi movies usually treat this theme where money is the be all and end all of existence. That is overridden by the ideal put forth over and over again that protocol is more important than ever, no matter who you are or what you do. So when Gordon-Levitt's character meets himself at his usual looper kill-spot, his inability to remove himself from the equation leads to dramatic consequences and the next lead in the story.

From here we are introduced to Bruce Willis' character, a 30-plus version of Gordon-Levitt's who has a secret agenda and a wealth of memories to overpower his younger self. That age-old battle between young and old (pardon the pun) is explored intricately in a scene between both characters at a local diner, a grounding magnet for a plot that is starting to get slightly out of hand. Levitt's character receives  a strong lecture from Willis' about his self-centred behaviour and his inability to see beyond his own personal needs for that of his future self. Levitt argues that because of this knowledge he will be able to change the future just by carrying out the task he should have done before Willis' managed to escape, but this plan is thwarted when the criminal syndicate at the centre of this whole debacle interrupts their joyous reunion.

Enter Emily Blunt, a hard-nut in the middle of nowhere protecting what seems to be just a bunch of sugar canes and a rickety old house with her son, Sid. Levitt's character seeks solace with the small family and in return, provides protection against the men planning to come after him. It is at this point we discover the real reason behind Willis' return to the past which involves Blunt's son who he believes is "the Rainmaker", a force so powerful in 2074, he has managed to take control of all 5 counties without a single army. All Blunt and Levitt know is that Willis is planning on killing the boy to prevent that from happening as Sid is the younger version of the Rainmaker, a fact we do not yet know is true until a larger event later in the movie (which I shall keep a secret for all of you already holding your breath). It is at this point the movie ventures into that done-to-death ideal of the power of a mother's love and how it can influence a young boy's upbringing but how Looper does it differently is by juxtaposing the two pasts of Levitt's character and Sid, an important moment that becomes much clearer in the movies finale. The film asks, what resolutions can be concluded when this love is not evident during a child's upbringing.

The themes within this film are complicated and multiple hence why director Rian Johnson's skill in giving us all plenty of time to catch up on who and what is important to remember is a blessing for those a little behind the 8-ball. The film won't appeal to those who never got Inception - its not as complicated but if you miss 5 minutes, you won't have time to catch up before the end. In saying that, the plot handles the whole time-travel issue with excellent precision, by not focusing too much on the future for a change and rather focusing on the past and how it can influence the future. A small number of locales also help with this as we begin to recognise the importance of certain locations over others, assisting with anticipation and the stringing together of certain elements, the train station and diner being one of them. Finally, the noir-ish tone to this film lets the audience guess a little how certain things are going to pan out meaning that whilst they're watching, they're also able to forge a few ideas in their head which are then supported by what happens next in the film. Films I'd say that don't do this so well include the Zodiac Killer and Shutter Island.

My friend was not a fan of this film after the credits rolled, complaining about the fact that there were not enough twists to keep one occupied however, I disagreed with her in that the original premise of the film was not to stupify or confuse the audience, leading to an lightbulb moment at the end - but was to guide us all to the same conclusion which was the one played out on screen; the only conclusion that one could have come to in that particular position. Strong performances from Blunt and Gordon-Levitt need to be acknowledged as well as that gorgeous editing by Bob Ducsay who can coordinate timing like a sniper. I give this film a strong 4 stars and sincerely hope it receives some Oscar nominations if for nothing else than editing and cinematography and possibly best original screenplay.

What I'm Watching

I've been terrible at keeping up with this for too long now so I just decided to get straight back into it with no more apologies but lots of exciting things to keep you entertained.

This week, I wanted to give you an idea of which TV shows were currently keeping me occupied/sane in my busy hectic life. Some are local; some are international; some are good; and some are so bad it hurts but you just can't stop watching them. Tell me if you agree with what's featured below.

• Law and Order: SVU Season 12

My love affair with LAO:SVU has spanned a good decade now but I have to admit that it has not always been constant. With the intermittent broadcasts of each season on Channel Ten at different times/days/dates etc I've found it hard to keep up with the latest season. However, when I found out Det. Elliot Stabler had left this "elite squad" for good, I had to get back into it.

• Game of Thrones Season 1

I'm majorly behind the eight-ball with this one but the idea of feuding kingdoms and fantasy worlds just really didn't push my buttons. How wrong of me. GOT has to be one of the best TV series I've seen in a long time. The production value on this baby alone is enough to keep you watching but the clever intertwining of stories and plotlines has also been cleverly mastered right until the very end. I can't wait to start season 2.

• The Only Way Is Essex Season 1

Who can resist the glamour, the style and the flair of England's most outrageous city. Having cottoned on to the show late last year during season 3, I decided to return to its original roots to see how on earth something like this got started. Another reason was to see Mark Wright who signed off at the end of S3 thus ending my lubricious love affair which he is not aware of in any form.

• Puberty Blues 

This was a movie that redefined my teenage experience, made me look at life differently but most importantly, made me realise that everything will be ok. Channel Ten and my favorite production house Southern Star have done an amazing job of converting one of Australia's most iconic movie into a short TV series that has got the whole nation revisiting the days of yore where a "skank" was a "moll", girls were only good for Chiko rolls and an occasional root, and you could guarantee your parents weren't up to much better.

Wish You Were Here

I know I'm a bit biased when it comes to the savants behind the Aquarius Films and Blue-Tongue Films collective but I can't help it: these guys are just too damn good!

Wish You Were Here is an emotional roller-coaster that explores the varying reactions of human beings when they are faced with turmoil. Felicity Price (co-writer with husband Kieran Darcy-Smith) plays Alice, a pregnant, formidable mother who discovers after returning from holiday in Cambodia that her husband, Dave(Joel Edgerton) had an affair whilst on the trip. It is the who rather than the how that causes the most drama as the "other woman" was Alice's younger, crazier sister Stef(Teresa Palmer). This love-triangle drama is framed by the wittingly suspenseful disappearance of Stef's new boyfriend, Jeremy(Antony Starr), who vanishes during their final days in Cambodia seemingly without a trace.

Darcy-Smith (DS) and the crew behind WYWH play the audience brilliantly: from their calculating publicity strategy to play up the disappearance of Jeremy over the main drama revolving around Dave and Alice's strained relationship; to the eventual unfolding of the film's overall story which happens as if pages of a book had been torn from the spine and fluttered on the ground, only for the reader to read them in whatever order he found them. It is a brilliant way to tell films that turns the traditional circular narrative completely on its head. DS and Felicity Price have a delightful way of writing which encourages the audience to view the narrative from all points of view. When you believe you have sided with one character, something happens next to completely change your allegiance and before you know it, you're rooting for the other side.

The cast of this film is also well selected however, I believe some characters (and their corresponding actors) were downplayed a little too much for instance, the character of Stef and our lack of ability to experience her pain and grief and the loss of her new love. Of course, this is all done within reason which the viewer discovers towards the end of the film when we find out that Jeremy and Stef were only new flames, not old embers like Alice and Dave which, whilst it sounds cruel to say, doesn't encourage the audience to feel as sympathetic for their romance being cut short considering it only lasted 6 weeks. Still, Teresa and Antony both give it their all despite their limited screen time which only adds to Joel Edgerton and Felicity Price's performances who play their characters effectively and with a great sense of knowledge about the inner workings of their characters' minds. Its very difficult to watch actors who are inwardly judging their own roles but there is none of that from these two leads. This may come down to Felicity's affiliation with the story from the writing stage but at lot more can be attributed to her as a great actress, as it can with Joel and his capabilities.

The final icing on the cake for this gorgeous film is its photography, orchestrated by Jules O'Loughlin. The warm, summeriness of Cambodia is offset by the unusually/usually cold harsh Sydney landscape which raises the question about which location is safer for the characters. Extreme depths of field were used ingeniously to capture both feelings and frames that would complement the lighting or surroundings of the scene. And in an untraditionally long title sequence, the vibrancy of Cambodia's villages, history and lifestyle is captured adoringly by a soft light and even softer range of close ups and midshots, ultimately contradicting in light of the films tragic ending.

I mean it when I say I'm in love with these guys. Their spirit and utter determination to create films that are different and against the grain is a thing to be inspired by. The fact that they have such a huge support network amongst themselves is a great way of making films in Australia which I feel is often too defined by the Tall-Poppy syndrome. Encouraging one another to make outstanding work is a much more effective way of producing beautiful films like Wish You Were Here than by pointing out everyone's flaws and mistakes. All I can say is that I am in love with Blue-Tongue Films and Aquarius Films and would give my Apple MacBook Pro to work with them.

Wish You Were Here was released April 25 2012.

Everyone's Talking About... The Future of TV

Loving this incredibly insightful commentary from TV Addict about the latest changes in television trends in the US. Hope our networks here in Aus cotton on soon.

The Vampire Diaries AKA Proof That Sexy Vampires Are Network Winners

I'd heard about The Vampire Diaries (TVD) in the same way I believe most other people in my generation found out - they got a bit bored of Gossip Girl's obsessive but circling plotlines and so decided to check out what other beauties CWTV (the original broadcasting network for the show) had to offer. At this point in my life, I had been exposed to the in-ignorable saturation of the Twilight series; various interpretations of the fairytale genre in the forms of new shows such as True Blood and Misfits; and had actively sought alternative material in defiance of what I believed was a short-term phase that everyone would soon grow out of. How wrong could I be. With The Hunger Games now developing the whole "alter-reality" genre that took off when Harry Potter concluded and Twilight started out, producers around the world are now tapping into this increasingly profitable drama. Beauty and The Beast, Once Upon A Time, Teen Wolf, and The Secret Circle and of course Supernatural are just some examples of this new genre that is dominating our TV screens. 

Spooky.

TVD is one such program that belongs to this group. It features vampires, then werewolves, witches, doppelgangers, and a whole variety of freaky features that accompany these fictional characters. But freaky seems to be doing well for the network with the show premiering in 2009 with an audience of 4.91m, its highest premiere ever. Over the three seasons, it has managed to maintain its grip on its eager audience with the program seeing a 3.36m premiere for season 2 and a 3.10m premiere for season 3 with there being little variation between premieres and finales. This is good news for the network that has seen some of the worst broadcast rating fails such as The LA Complex.

Personally, I like it. Apparently, not everyone else does.

Numbers aside, TVD utilises an interesting format that has worked well for its not-so-original content. The program focuses on Elena Gilbert, a normal 16 year old who lives in the quaint township of Mystic Falls, a place that prides itself on being totally undramatic (minus the occasional animal attack). Her life revolves around making cheerleading practice, making out with her boyfriend Matt, and hanging with her best friend Bonnie and frenemy Caroline. That is until the day her parents die in a car crash that she witnesses firsthand. Depression, withdrawal and a general disinterest in life defines Elena's life for the next 4 months until the first day of school where her life changes again when she meets new-man-in-town, Stefan. Your typical brooding, dark, mysterious stranger character, Stefan has a freaky way of making people do what he wants, wears a wicked yet kinda odd-looking ring all the time, and generally has a thing for creeping up on people when they least expect it. Over time, Elena soon guesses Stefan's gig and soon becomes comfortable with the idea that she's dating a vampire. At the same time as all of this, Bonnie, her best friend, discovers she has some freaky powers of her own; Jeremy, her brother (a hopeless stoner in love with the wrong girls) gets involved with the whole vampire drama; Matt, her ex, gets jealous; and Caroline becomes involved with a dark, mysterious stranger of her own who, low and behold, turns out to be Stefan's older annoying brother, Damon. 

Damon - Did I mention he's kinda hot too?

The rest of the season sees Stefan and Damon banging it out against one another which we finally learn has to do with the fact that Stefan was the one who got Damon turned 165 years ago when the woman they were both in love with bit them. Catherine is a 500 year old vampire who has been running for half a century (at this stage we are not privy to this information) but she has decided that she has come back to Mystic Falls to claim a special prize - Elena. Turns out little-miss-normal is actually a Doppelganger with all sorts of cool powers such as the ability to stop an evil Original, aka Papa Vampire. This leads us into Season 2 which comes with all sorts of fun things such as the introduction of the werewolf myth which takes up most of the season, and finally Klaus - AKA Mega Bastard. This guy is EEVVVVIILLL and you really don't want to get on his bad side, which Stefan and Damon have a habit of doing. Over time, we realise there is more than one of these bad boys as Klaus has a whole family - almost as bad as when you discover the one cockroach you found under your bed is actually a sibling of MANY. Rebecca, Elijah, Cole and Finn were all turned by their mother when they learned of the man-eating werewolfs in their neighborhood. From there, the vampire myth/reality was spawned and 900 years later, Stefan and Damon were added to the family tree.

And you thought your siblings were weird.

I've missed out A LOT of details with this very brief description of the series but that's because this particular show just has so much going on! This I feel is its most interesting quality. Normally, TV shows are outed by critics for their inability to stick to the rules they created when the show started - that is, the rules by which the characters play by everyday, the rules the audience knows the show by and gets used to. For example, in Grey's Anatomy, the rule is that sleeping with your fellow attendings or residents is ok and generally doesn't incur the wrath that most normal people would endure if they found themselves trying to sleep with their boss. TVD is different however in the way it specifically doesn't do this. The rules change. One minute, its been made pretty clear that a vampire definitely dies from the bite of a werewolf. The next, we discover that this isn't technically true as the blood of an original can cure a vampire afflicted with this particular ailment. 

This is the defining factor that makes up TVD and I believe its one of the many qualities that keeps its viewers coming back for more and more. Couple that with a brilliant love story which then turns into an even better love triangle; really well-scripted suspense; and the motive to keep everything as simple as possible and you have a real hit on your hands. Its really impossible to make any comparisons between Twilight and TVD has there are many stylistic and thematic differences that separate these two seemingly identical stories. And with a epic season 3 finale, I think The CW can expect good audience returns next season. 

IMDB - Top TV Shows

I just thought to check out IMDB's latest results for their online television ratings and voting system. Ratings are the score out of 10 that an IMDB member has given a television show whilst a vote is the number of times a show has been given a rating, no matter what the score. It's interesting to view these two results in comparison as a way of determining what essentially is the best TV show running out there at the moment. Have a look and tell me what you think:

Images courtesy of IMDB

Look who got published!

Just found a neat little article I wrote for an assignment last year on the ACMI website. Check it out:
http://www.acmi.net.au/somi/index.php?v=story&story=10502

Top Films of... May

Having only just swung into May, I haven't yet had the fortune to see most of the films I'm plugging in this post. Nevertheless, I have faith in my judgement (and I hope you do too) and believe that these 5 films are all very worth watching this month. Here they are:

1. Dark Shadows
After poor results in the form of Alice In Wonderland, Tim Burton is finally back to doing what he does best - using his unique gothic style to his advantage to exploit his unique storytelling abilities. Dark Shadows is a retelling of the 1966-1971 soap opera in which Barnabus Collins, a wealthy playboy in the 1700s, is cursed by a witch he ditches who turns him into a vampire. Fast forward ahead a few centuries and he finds himself accidentally freed from his coffin into the dangerously modern world of the 1970s. Cue hilarious trend jokes, classic generational misunderstandings, and Burton's traditional method of playing the outsider against society. Audiences will revel in Burton's formulaic style and will appreciate Depp's charismatic flair. Yes, its been done before but hey, who doesn't like a Tim Burton movie?
Dark Shadows is due for release May 10th.

2. Men In Black 3
Anyone who calls themselves a 90's baby will be salivating at the very thought of the next installment of this highly successful series which sees Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones reprise their roles as FBI-style alien hunters. In this sequel, Smith's character J must travel back in time to stop the evil alien criminal Boris (of all names) in order to save K's life and the future of the planet. With only 24 hours to spare, J must work against the clock to solve this massive dilemma or face the rest of eternity stuck in the past. Its a shame that the writers/producers of the MIB series could not have come up with a more original direction for the third chapter of this series, with the whole travelling back in time a go-to move for most filmmakers who don't know how to write for the future. Needless to say, I'm pretty certain the same vaudeville-esque gags and crass jokes will abound keeping audiences of all ages entertained.
MIB3 will be released on the 24th of May.

3. The Woman In Black
Its rare you'll ever hear me spouting a horror film. But for the first time in a while, I'm actually quite keen to head to the cinemas to see one with the upcoming release of Daniel Radcliffe's first film since the demise of the Harry Potter franchise. The story focuses on a financially struggling lawyer, Kipps (played by Radcliffe) who is told to sort out the estate of a recently deceased woman. Once there, a number of spooky occurrences lead Kipps to enquire about the demise of the house's former owner during which Kipps discovers a curse that will haunt him and those he loves for the rest of his existence. With this being Radcliffe's first role outside of Harry Potter, it'll be interesting to see how well his acting capabilities stand up against an entirely new concept  and genre. Another interesting aspect of the film is the use of Marco Beltrami in composing, a talent unto himself having scored 2 Oscar nominations for his work on 3:10 to Yuma and The Hurt Locker.
The Woman in Black is out May 17th.

4. What To Expect When You're Expecting
I may not have admitted this before but I have a small obsession for celeb-filled movies. Ok, that's a lie, its more like a MAJOR obsession. Love Actually, Valentine's Day, New Years Eve, anything that will have me seeing a new celebrity pop about every 30 seconds. And WTEWYE is on the same level. Based bizarrely on a self-help book for pregnant women, the film follows the stories of 5 knocked-up women and their other halves as they triumph/fail/deplore/enjoy the finer stages of creating life. Considering I am a devote anti-child person, I know I won't be watching this film for the fuzzy-wuzzies but rather for all the challenging, life-changing events that come with making babies. With some great comedic cast members (such as Chris Rock, Megan Mullally and Denis Quaid) I'm hoping this one will be a winner for every audience (maybe not so much with expecting parents)
What To Expect When You're Expecting is out May 31st.

5. Safe
There's a lot you can expect when about to watch a Jason Statham film. One - Jason Statham punching a bad guy; Two - Jason Statham killing someone; Three - Jason Statham in a suit. But these three important elements are not the only characteristics of his style. A kick-ass soundtrack, impressive editing and of course, those awesome stunts culminate into one wicked action film. In the past with successes like Crank, Revolver and his debut film, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Statham has astounded us with his moves, charm and take-no-s**t attitude. In Safe, he delivers that yet again as Luke Wright, a man who has lost everything thanks to both crime and justice and as a result, now trusts no one. A series of not-so random events lead him to saving the life of Mei, a young Chinese girl who is abducted from her homeland to be used in underworld criminal activities. This film has a lot of guts to it with action sequences that literally take your breath away and some one liners that will have you reeling with laughter. However, the obvious plotholes are a little too big to dodge and its only until the credits are rolling that you finally piece the story together. All in all, a great film for you and your mates.
Safe is out now at all good cinemas.

Channel 10 For The Win

It was pretty much decided from the end of last season that Channel 10's Masterchef would take out first place at what's shaping up to be TV's night of nights.

Kicking off at 7:30pm on Sunday May 6th, Masterchef managed to retain a 1.3m average throughout its one hour premiere with its highest tune in reaching 1.6m. The success can be attributed to Ch10's careful marketing over the past two months leading up to the new season riding on the back of last year's success which capped off a stellar season with 2.74m glued to the screen to see Kate Bracks take the trophy. Clever merchandising has also seen the Masterchef brand become not just a household name for its TV series but also for its books, magazines subscriptions, celebrity chef events and cooking utensils. Add this to the major buzz around past entrants and winners and all of THEIR merchandising success stories (i.e Julie Goodwin's many family-orientated cookbooks) and you have yourself a major contender in the ratings war.

Having said that, Masterchef was not attractive enough to maintain Channel 10's audience for the rest of their Sunday night programming, with Channel 9 winning the night with their broadcasting of The Block and 60 Minutes. One could put this down to Channel 10's failure to secure a strong complementary set of shows to entice that ever elusive 18-29 crowd. Weekly showings of New Girl and Modern Family have done little to help audiences settle into Channel 10 for the night meaning an audience is only more likely to start watching the network at the time Masterchef begins, potentially missing out on that all important first 15 minutes. Following up with Touch doesn't seem to be helping either despite its success in the USA. It just goes to show that Australians are not just interested in something because its American.

The next few weeks are starting to get more and more interesting for Channel 10, with Offspring in its 3rd week, Bikie Wars starting in 2 weeks time, and Being Lara Bingle starting soon after. Despite its apparent investment in Aussie drama, Channel 10 really needs to pull their thumbs out. With ratings and profits dwindling year after year, and with share prices dropping rapidly, there needs to be a drastic overhaul of the way Channel Ten does business. Focusing on producing one major program and then filling in the gaps with a whole load of crap just doesn't cut it for the modern audience anymore who are more than happy to switch the TV off all together and go watching cat videos on YouTube for an hour instead. All I can say is, its do or die for this beloved channel.

Quit your whining!

The March 30th release of the Federal Government's Final Report from the Convergence Review has ruffled not just a few feathers amongst the media moguls but I'd have to say the entire plume. From The Australian to The Herald Sun, commentators around the country have contributed their two cents worth focusing mainly on the negative effects certain aspects of this report will cause if implemented. This is all rather premature really considering Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has had less than 48 hours to read the 174-page report. Nonetheless, outrage left, right and center has erupted over some rather incredulous suggestions that the authors Glen Boreham, Malcolm Long, and Louise McElvogue have made. Kim Williams (News Ltd.) lay claim that the report was "exceedingly vague and imprecise"; Julie Flynn (CEO Free TV Australia) said that content quotas “should not be increased and they should be more flexible than they are”; whilst James Warburton (CEO Network Ten Holdings) cried over how “the higher content quotas for documentaries and children’s programs, for example, are yet another regulation that only applies to the free-to-air television industry" - interesting, coming from the guy who's company's earnings fell to just $15m this year. 

Basically, most of the individuals who represent the large corporations this report actively targets are causing most of the stink. Generally the report has many positive attributes such as removing license fees for free-to-air broadcasters (which the industry has been lamenting over for years), raising the producer offset from 20% to 40%, and redefining the terms used to describe the organisations that have many fingers in pies within the industry to "Content Service Enterprises." The biggest win throughout this report however and the part I am sure everyone will debate the most is the increased quota for content. 

Within the report, a proposal was made to produce the Universal Content Scheme, a program that would "require qualifying content service enterprises, with significant revenues from television-like content, to invest a percentage of their revenue in Australian drama, documentary and children’s programs." In fairness, Australian free-to-air broadcasters already do this quite a bit (55% of all programming broadcasts between the hours of 6am and midnight must be Australian content.) But this is not what's gotten everyone into a stink. Instead, the network heads are livid over the suggestion that there should be "a 50 per cent increase in Australian sub-quota content obligations for drama, documentary and children’s content to reflect the two additional channels each broadcaster currently operates that do not attract any quotas." This quota is a particular necessity considering that a majority of network expenditure goes towards the production of much cheaper programming styles such as news, current affairs, and documentaries. In fact, in a report from the ACMA evaluating the compliance of networks 7, 9, and 10 with the Content Standards Act of 2005, it can be clearly seen that all three networks were guilty of reducing their broadcast hours for both drama and children's drama whilst increasing their broadcast hours for non-drama productions and documentaries. Take a look at these two tables from the report to see yourself the difference in production between drama broadcasting and documentary:

(This entire report is a must see for anyone interested in how the Australian television content landscape actually looks)

At first I didn't quite get the maths on this one. If the networks were already required to broadcast 55% Australian programs, then does that meant this new 50% is added on top of that? The answer to this is yes but not just to the 3 major broadcasting channels. Essentially, what we are looking at is an increase in requirements for Australian content from 55% to 105%. This additional 50% though would be spread between the three major broadcasting channels PLUS their digital multichannels. This would mean, for example, that Channel Nine would have to start using GEM, and GO! to meet this new 105% quota. 

As well as this, there is the requirement for subscription channels to increase their quotas for documentary and children's channels to 10%. Currently, the only regulation on such networks is the requirement that a minimum of 10% of expenditure be spent on Australian drama production. Considering these were the only two adjustments suggested for subscription networks, I have to say I was quite disappointed with the panels' review of this particular sector of the industry. New regulations should reflect the fact that 34% of the Australian population subscribe to pay TV channels now, a suggestion I would make is that the quota percentage reflect the overall reach of a network. For instance, if Channel 7 are able to reach 75% of the Australian population, then Foxtel, Austar and other networks in their league should have to reach a 45% quota.

All in all, I'm not buying the bullshit the major networks are shovelling out to everyone with their "woe-is-us-and-our-fat-pockets" speeches. The bottom line is there is not enough Australian content on our screens. The networks have to stop being lazy by buying in international formats and programs for a 1/3rd of the price of producing their own and instead must work out new ways to combat increasing production costs. This not only will see a remarkable streak of ingenuity injected into the industry but it will also increase jobs, resources and the possibility of a more sustainable future for Australian within this new convergence culture. 

Top Films Of...April

I have decided each month to post the top 5 films for the month that I believe are worth watching. These could be anything from the latest Hollywood blockbuster to a new release DVD that's just hit Civic Video. Here's what I'm looking forward to for April:

1. Wish You Were Here
ABSOLUTELY THE MOST EXCITING FILM OF THE YEAR!!!!! With the Blue-Tongue Films guys behind almost every aspect of this production plus the wonderful mind of Angie Fielder from Aquarius Films, this one is set to be a stunner.

2. The Hunger Games
After all the hype (and box-office success) one almost has to go watch this film purely so that you know what the difference is between a "tribute" and a "victor". Or at least so that you can look cool in front of your kids sister (come on, we all know that was the only reason you watched Twilight. Right?)

3. The Pirates! Band of Misfits
It's not everyday that you get to witness some of the best stop-motion animation this world has ever made. That's why (despite its kooky story and subject matter) I am planning to make this movie a must see on my list for April. With the makers of Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit behind this extravanganza, what more could you want?

4. Salmon Fishing In The Yemen
Emily Blunt. Ewan MacGregor. What more needs to be said? Other than title which I believe, speaks for itself.

5. 21 Jump Street
Absolutely one of THE best movies I have seen so far this year. The editing, soundtrack, concept and acting were all brilliantly executed to entertain my fledgling 22 year old brain, which has a concentration problem bigger than Venus and a habit of resorting to one's iPhone if things get a bit boring. None of that ensued in the screening I attended of this film. Everyone from miles around could be heard laughing their asses off to the brilliant one-liners and hilarious gags on screen. GO SEE IT!

Back In The Saddle

I have come to find that unless one is getting paid, it is exceptionally difficult to maintain a consistent stream of posts for one's blog.

At least that's my excuse for now.

The reality is the past 2 months have been a rollercoaster ride of existential dilemmas, personal difficulties and helping the family business develop whilst neglecting/nurturing my own career. I won't go into the details as I like to keep that part of my life private but it basically meant that my blog has been extremely abandoned. Sorry Blog.

To get back into though, I thought I might give you a little indication of what I have in store for the next few months. There are many exciting things ahead for me both personally and professionally and I'm hoping to share these experiences as they happen on this very platform.

One of these experiences was the return of one of my closest friends, Ella O, a crazy, utterly unique individual whose career reads similar to mine over the past 4 years. The "return" was from her 3 month internship at Channel 7 in Sydney during which she was fortunate to work on such programs as Border Security and Home and Away and assist the production team in developing their new bout of programs for the year. She has an eclectic style in anything she does. Her vision on life is extremely exciting to witness and together, we have decided to use our talents and strengths to get a bit creative in this arty black-hole which is Perth and make something cool. From short films to video reviews of places to go, we decided we wanted to make anything and everything interesting, funky and a bit different. Stay tuned.

On top of that, I have finally come up with a plan for the rest of the year. I have had this idea for a while now but never really had the gumption/guts to go ahead with it. Plus, I was also very aware of the reactions that many people in my life would have once this decision was announced. What I am talking about is "The Move", the penultimate decision that every wannabe-director/producer/actress makes to move to the Big H and see how well their cards play out. Hollywood is like a children's playground - exceptionally fun to be in once you're there but can be terribly daunting from the outside (have you ever watched a bunch of children scrambling over the monkey bars? Scary!)

My theory is that no matter where I go, I will have to make it somewhere. Sydney, Melbourne, London or LA, I have to start somewhere. When considering the pathway between where I could choose to start and where I ultimately want to end up, it makes sense to recognise that the shortest would be moving straight to LA. I know my chances, don't get my wrong. I am not delusional in anyway. I am merely going to save up over the next 8 months, head over for 3 months and try my luck. You never know. I may get a job straight away. I may waste $10,000. Either way, I'm young, fit and ready to work. With that plus a good attitude, I'm hoping the rest will all fall together.

So there you have my two big plans so far. Along the way, I will continue to research and reflect in this blog as a means of keeping my knowledge fresh and you all entertained. I would also love to know what everyone's thoughts are on my idea to move to LA as I would appreciate any advice. For now, check out some of the best films out now that I think you should go see ASAP.

Everybody's Talking About ... Red Dog

Yes, I know I'm behind the times in many ways on this blog and particularly with this movie but I was strictly instructed by my mother 2 months ago NOT to watch this movie until I was home for Christmas. There's a small tradition with my family in which we all get together and watch a film that none of the 6 of us have yet seen (a slightly impossible feat considering the number of movies this family watches). Most of the time this is just an empty threat and everyone in our family goes ahead and watches whatever the chosen film is in their own sweet time anyway but for some divine reason this year, Red Dog was left untouched by our wandering eyes.

Red Dog is a film I have been meaning to watch all year due to its unexpected home-grown box office success. Within 6 weeks, this little Aussie film had managed to acquire over $16m at the box office and to date, has raised $21m. To this day, there are only a select number of Australian films to have achieved such a feat including Moulin Rouge, Happy Feet, and Crocodile Dundee. But what was it about this little film and its canine star that riveted audiences across the country. Having now watched the films, these are my top 5 reasons as to how the filmmakers got it right:

1. The Outback
Crocodile Dundee. Wolf Creek. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Australia.
There is an undeniable link between these movies, all of whom have had considerable success around the world and in their home country, and that is their portrayal of this vast, great land. Whether its murderous psychopaths on long, barren roads, or flamboyant drag queens in Alice Springs; some would say that the most positively received Australian films are the ones that include some reference to our home country. Red Dog is no exception. In parts possibly overdoing it slightly, the film makes great use of highlighting the culture and lifestyles of the North Western communities of WA. Almost like a documentary, these places are depicted as remote, isolated areas of existence that only the brave would venture to. Like a patch of the Amazon, there is an untouchability effect to this country that all Australians understand. Red Dog respects this in both its visual and narrative depiction of the setting and I believe it is for this reason that Australia finally got off its arse and wandered to the theatre to support one of its own.

2. The Animals
Enough said. Every successful Aussie film almost always features cute, furry animals. Babe. Happy Feet. Even The Man From Snowy River. All star charismatic, courageous four-footed species that undoubtedly save the day. Red Dog's undeniably show-stealing star, Koko, embodies the right blend of animal and human qualities that pull and audience in. He's funny without trying to be; loyal without being clingy; respectful when it's right; and most importantly, not afraid to stand up for what he believes in. You're probably thinking how can one animal manage to pull this off but with the right facial expressions (yes, dogs do have them), and a few nifty camera angles, the message is pumped home. And most importantly, everyone knows that dog is man's best friend.

3. The Sob Story
Boy moves to town. Boy makes only friend in dog. Boy meets girl. Fall in love. Boy dies. Dog tries to find him. I could not believe how much that last part took up of the whole movie nor could I believe the profound effect it was having on not just me, but my family as well. For a solid 10 minutes of the entire 90 minute film, this poor mutt waits for his deceased owner to come home, then treks across the whole state to try and find him. Throw in a bit of hard-hitting storytelling from one of your miners impersonating said dog, and you've got tears galore. By weaving a series of beautifully shot vignettes of the WA landscape with a cleverly scripted voiceover, the filmmakers managed to draw tears from the eyes of my family and I that I had been deliberately trying to repress in the whole film (knowing full well that they were going to come at some point). There are many examples I can conjure of films that use The Sob Story to enhance the narrative but you've probably got a few in your head already. Needless to say, Dog+Dead Owner+ Visually Enhancing Montage=Audience hooked till the very end.

4. The International Relations
The thing that Australians hate the most I have realised is films that are "too-Australian." What I mean by that is films that look just a bit too closely at ourselves, pointing out our flaws (which we do naturally as a nation) and reminding us of how different we are from the rest of the world. We don't like that and would rather prefer to be held in the same light as any other country, particularly America (who we are still striving to become) and the UK (who we are desperately trying to separate ourselves from). Red Dog uses the mining community to promote a sense of "universality" within the film. This not only initiates an international link to the film for outside countries, but also means that Australian audiences don't feel so isolated in their thinking. What I mean by this is that if Australians feel their thoughts on a film are the same as what other countries would be, then they are ok about them. For some reason, we only feel validated within our own thoughts if the rest of the world agrees with them. That's the reason why we become so obsessed with the latest international craze rather than one of our own from Down Under. We like to think that other countries are interested in us. If not, then we are not interested in ourselves. Red Dog has used the internationally represented mining community of Dampier to better its chances of both international and Australian audiences developing a relationship with the narrative.

5. The Resemblance
Having seen many Australian films before in my lifetime and thoroughly enjoyed MOST of them (there have been some TERRIBLE creations from our crazy Ocker film nuts), the main trend I can see in Red Dog is the undeniable Aussie-ness upon the screen. I've spoken so far about what elements of this film have made it such a financially and emotionally attractive option down at Blockbuster but for all Australian films, I really do feel I can say its purely down to the fact that we have a unique style and we love to use it. Retro editing techniques, blends of mediums, a gorgeous soundtrack, coupled with even more gorgeous cast members, all combine to produce really effective, enjoyable Aussie films and Red Dog is no exception.

At the end of the day, I can talk as much as the next "professional" about Red Dog and how it became such a huge success but at the end of the day, no amount of analysing or philosophising is going to be able to assit future film producers in nailing that magic equation. We are a fickly bunch us Aussies and I think the number one think we don't like is being told what we do like. All credit goes to the producers of Red Dog for this special technique in not force-feeding us with a thousand reasons to go see this movie. Like the Yarra river, word-of-mouth slowly trickled around the country promoting this little beauty and in the end, the results spoke for themselves. Go see this film and enjoy it at whatever capacity you think you can. I for one have been converted once again to our gorgeous Aussie film land.

Everybody's Talking About...The Descendants

I am not a fan of George Clooney. I've said this once before and I'll stick by it, even if he wins every bloody Oscar the academy throw at him. I just find him to be one of those smarmy, too-grinny actors that you just want to punch in the face. At least that's my opinion.

There is one redeeming quality about him though and its his recent involvement in the Oscar nominated The Descendants. Directed and written by Alexander Payne (sharing the writing credits with Nat Faxon and Jim Rash), The Descendants follows the life of Matt King, a real estate agent in Hawaii whose fortunate family have allowed him to live a comfortable, stress-free existence for most of his life. That is until his wife, Elizabeth (played by Patricia Hastie), hits her head in a boating accident and falls into a coma. What follows is a humorous journey between a father, his two daughters, and a delinquent teenager, as they attempt to find out about their soon-to-be-late mother's extramarital lover (and inadvertently find out a lot more about themselves in the process).

I enjoyed this movie as much as I did not enjoy it. Acting, cinematography and editing were all a little subpar with a bizarre soundtrack which did not add much depth to the overall narrative. However, there was a subtle beauty in this film which I did enjoy, despite my brain's constant chanting of "We Hate Clooney! We Hate Clooney!" (yes, its a bad habit. Apologies). The writing in this film was exquisite. Faxon, Rash and Payne had all made plenty of effort to piece together the various elements of this family's story whilst interweaving an intricate web of the usual "6°of Separation" theory contrasted again the unusual, tropical paradise of Hawaii. Each individual character in this film was cleverly crafted into their own roles. Whilst Clooney took up A LOT of story time, his character was more of an emotionless canvas upon which our other colourful characters painted themselves. Shailene Woodley who plays Alexandra and Amara Miller who plays Scotty work brilliantly against Clooney's obvious discomfort with children so that we clearly see a family who don't know that much about eachother really but understand that above all, family does have a special bond, no matter what the circumstances in which they were brought together (I think many of us can agree with this statement). Another aspect to the screenplay which was cleverly conducted was the integration of the very Hawaii-nesqueness in which the story unfolds. Drama happens behind closed doors. Secrets unfold in major tsunamis and soft ripples. And everybody knows everybody, making the whole concept behind this family's difficult social situation that much more reactive.

I believe the Academy nominated The Descendants for both best adapted screenplay, director, and picture due to its poignant yet abnormal story that a lot of audience members will enjoy listening to. I do know also that Clooney's acting in this film was MUCH better than his recent adventures (Intolerable Cruelty anyone?) and his character for the first time was not so much George Clooney as it was more Matt King, a fact I could stomach much more easily with my popcorn and Diet Coke. I do think this film will do well at the Oscars but as for the Best Picture nod, I am waiting for a few more viewings before resting that decision on this film.

Everybody's Talking About... The Oscars!!!

Its that time of the year ladies and gents. No, its not Christmas. Nor is it my birthday. Instead, it is the biggest celebration of what I feel is THE best artistic form in the world - The Academy Awards. Even just saying those 3 little words makes one feel all gooey and gorgeous inside.

Every year I look forward to this particular award ceremony. Yes, I know there are the Golden Globes, and the Emmy's, but it is something particular about celebrating cinema, in giving it the stage for just one small night, that make me really appreciate my medium. Not only that, but I really feel it sets the tone for where the industry chooses to take itself for the rest of the year. Consider last year's achievements with The Kings Speech and look at how many amazing biopics were released last year - My Week With Marilyn, The Iron Lady, J.Edgar... the list goes on. This year is no different BUT with so many interesting nominees what direction cinema will take itself this year is anyone's guess.

It is about this time I need to mention the announcement I posted to my followers earlier today on Twitter. Each year, I make a vow to try and watch every single nominee that is selected for Best Picture. I used to think this was a feat in itself when the number was 6. When they raised it to 10, I honestly thought I didn't have a chance in hell. Last year, I managed to see just one of the films nominated (True Grit). The year before that I managed four (Up, Avatar, Inglorious Bastards, and District 9) This year thankfully, there are only 9. How hard could it be, you say? Well, let me spell it out for you.

Of this year's nominee list (full list below), I have managed to see just ONE film - The Help - which I didn't pay too much attention too because I honestly did not think it was going to be so well received (the fact I didn't find it THAT good a movie also had something to do with it). Anyway, so I've seen 1 film. That's 146 minutes of my time. I HAVE 10 MORE LIKE THAT TO GO. So based on the law of averages (I have no idea what that actually means but it sounds fun), my mathematical equation for this particular discussion goes something like this:

146 minutes x 9 = 1314 minutes = 21.9... hours

So basically I need a full day dedicated to watching all 9 of these films. Not a problem you say. Get your laptop, the DVD's, enough food and water for a day and don't move. Easier said than done. For one, The Artist and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close have not even reached Australian shores. And I know its almost blasphemous of me to say this but Moneyball, Midnight In Paris, War Horse, The Descendants, and Hugo are still in the cinemas and, well, I'm a little too poor right not to be forking out $18/movie. So for now that leaves me with The Tree of Life, a movie which I have to admit, has been on my radar for a while but, as with everything in life, my priorities got the better of me.

So here's the plan. I have 33 days to watch all 9 movies. I need 21.9 hours to do them. On average, based on the small income I earn per week, I can probably average 3 movies a week from now until the big day. As per usual, I shall be keeping you all updated with my various reviews which I promise, will try to be as unpersuasive as possible. You may be confused over my passion for this but my best response is, don't ask me why but rather, why not?

A Few Good Words about A Few Best Men

Fresh out the seats of Australia's latest "comedy", I am buzzing with too many adjectives to make this post worthwhile (a few to suffice include excitement, joy, mirth...you get the gist).

I was fortunate enough to receive a free double pass to Stephen Elliott's first cinematic production in a decade (courtesy of Bigpond Movies) and trust me, this is a film I would PAY to see again. Did just hear that right? She did just say she would PAY to see an Australian COMEDY?? Madness!

Precisely. You see, A Few Best Men is more than JUST a comedy. Its an exhibition. A statement. And most importantly, a revolution for the Australian film industry. Elliott and his team have blended pure innocence with stark-raving chaos, the likes of which we have not seen since Superbad. In a bid to contain myself, I will limit my evaluation of this beautiful, saving-Grace of a film to just 3 main points.

1. IT'S FUNNY!!!
Australia has actually made a few comedies over the past few years but of the ones we remember, only a few come to mind. Namely, The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert, The Castle, and of course, Crocodile Dundee. The trend? Well, other than overly-clichéd characters and a lot of retro hairdos, all of these films are over 10 years old! No one (yes, I will make this claim) has managed to come up with a comedy that Australia has deemed worth watching (Ok Kenny, you may be an exception). A Few Best Men is Australian through and through but the main reason why is because Craig and Elliot have done what all Australians love to do - they have poked fun at their very own people through the bewildered eyes of their four leading men. From the perspective of Tom, Graham, Luke and most importantly, David (not Dave), we see our country the way the rest of the world sees it and God are we a funny bunch. More than that, they take the biggest mickey out of our favourite punters - The Brits - possibly the best part of the whole film. These four in their own right are legends but at the same time are utterly, hopelessly, and completely British. Through crafty dialogue (natural for both tongues), a quick pace to keep the audience on their toes, and a larrikin tone to not make things too serious (there may or may not have been a near suicide attempt), Elliott's comedy is just like his most famous film (Priscilla for all of you scratching your heads) - its brave, its bold and most importantly, "you better pull your socks up because you're about to have them knocked off."

2. You couldn't have a better cast.
Newton-John, Marshall, Bishop, Draxl and Le Marquand all take the Oscar for best performances in this film. Hilariously eccentric all with believable qualities, these characters are all integral to the speed and direction in which this film heads. Not to say that Samuel and Brent don't have their shining moments - they do - but their roles within the film are much more centred on, well, keeping everyone centred. We relate to this gorgeous couple, wish hopefully that yes, true love does exist beyond the hurdles and that maybe, just maybe, its a real thing too. Everyone in this film knew their place, what part of the play they were all destined to perform. There were no show ponies. No prize-grabbers. Everyone appeared to be having as much fun on screen as we are sure they had offscreen. It is a delight for an audience to associate themselves with such an experience. A big congratulations to everyone involved (Hear, hear!)

3. The importance of collaboration.
You would be very hard-pressed to say that this is JUST an Australian film. So too would you be to say it is JUST an English film. What the creators of this story have done is set aside their desires to lay claim to this magical piece and accepted that no one needs to attach a label to it. I believe wholeheartedly that this is the only way our (Australia's) industry is going to flourish - by accepting that we are not big enough to take on the world (America) by ourselves and therefore we need to offer our crew, our locations and our ideas to the rest of the world (the rest of the world) in order to make films with them - film which will then be sent on to the rest of the world (I'm not going to continue with this but you get the drift) and have a much better chance of seeing the inside of a theater that doesn't resemble your grandma's living room.

I have high hopes for this film. I really do feel that 2012 is the year of the Australian film, what with news of Blue-Tongue films recently well-received premiere of Wish You Were Here, as well as planned future collaborations for production companies (such as See Saw Films with Shame), and A Few Best Men is a great way to start the new year. We're taking the time to perfect our craft and its paying off. I really hope Australia gets their wallets out this Australia Day (A Few Best Men opens January 26) and pays their fine cents towards this awesome little film.

PLUG!

Just saw this new trailer from some of the guys who brought you "Bridesmaids". I didn't like the first concoction they dreamed up but this looks much more promising.
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36 days, 53 episodes, 2,438 minutes.

It's not everyday that you are given 4 full seasons of a television series. Nor is that you have the time required to watch said seasons. Further still, one could argue, it's not everyday that you get to bear witness to one of Fox Network's most successful series to date. I am talking, ladies and gentlemen, about my life for the past 2 months which has been completely, utterly and totally consumed by the amazing Sons of Anarchy TV series.

I first discovered the show thanks to a good friend of mine who assured me it was a winner. I was not convinced. The brief he gave me was the series followed a group of bikies in California who's days were filled with selling guns to the IRA, fighting off rival gangs, whilst also dealing with some pretty nasty American government agencies. You're typical outlaw day. I had no interest, despite my obsession with all things out of the ordinary, purely on the basis that it was about an MC (or motorcycle club for you non-conformists). It is amazing how quickly my tone changed. Kurt Sutter's brilliance in his creation of SAMCRO (Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original) stems from his ability to balance the violent, messy world of underworld crime with the heavily relatable Government vs. Individual, Family vs. Career type conflicts that most of us have probably experienced now and again. Even if you know nothing about Harleys, haven't touched ink since you last picked up a pen, and couldn't fathom the idea of burying a guy in the ground only to try knocking his head off with you front wheel, there is still PLENTY for you to get excited about with this series.

Firstly, you've got Jackson Teller, or "Jax" as he is more widely known. Those dirty, long blonde locks. That grubby golden goatee. Those gorgeous blue eyes. And THAT attitude all make the insides of this passionate fan quiver with delight on sight. From Soprano to House, we've all had our fair share of anti-heroes. But Jax's charm (pun intended for those who know where the show is set) and genuine heart of a lion hold him out above the rest.

So we have our sexy star. What else? Try tons and tons of naughty, ooh-I-shouldn't-be-watching-this honest to goodness action. From bloody fist fights, to gyrating porn stars, Sutter pushed all the boundaries that the Fox producers would let him and probably gave the old farts at the FCC a few hearts attacks (and stiffies) whilst he was at it. The timing and editing, performances and deliveries of every action scene I can conjure in my head for all seasons were brilliant executed meaning that you are literally on the edge of your seat like you would be were you watching a Jason Statham movie. Action like this on TV is usually heavily confined to one or two scenes, if that. But Sutter gives us one punch after another after another until you're dying for breath at which point, he brings you that too. Which leads me to my next point.

Sutter and his writing team have got their dramatic timing down to a tee. Thanks to having access to all 4 seasons (legitimately I promise), I was able to analyse the progress of each episode in relation to the last and look at the way the writers have managed to sustain their audience. A general tool that is used really well I feel is the "cool-down period". It happens every now and again within a season just after something heavy is about to happen or has just happened. Sutter understands his audience well and knows how a break in action can be just as effective as an acceleration. Because of this, action-whores have a chance to build their suspense, schoolgirls and stay-at-home mums get a chance to go change their underwear, and the newly-acquainted get a chance to catch on. In a nutshell, you have one very well-balanced first season; a very-hectic, edge-of-your-seat, thriller of a second season; a much slower, more contemplative third season; and a round-house kick to the head of a fourth season which finished off with an awesome cliffhanger that has everyone counting down the days till Sutter premieres Season 5.

I can come up with a thousand other reasons why you should watch this show. From the Son (member of the club) who has a doll phobia and sex addiction, to the bent cop with a penchant for the President's Old Lady, to the general detail of this world that Bikie gangs around the world have so successfully kept away from prying eyes. You'll fall in love with each and every member of the crew, laugh when they laugh, cry when they cry, and want to punch the f***ing balls out of any guy that steps in their way. I seriously suggest you get to your local Blockbuster now, set aside 36 days of solid TV viewing, and open your eyes to the amazing world of the Sons of Anarchy.